--------------------------------------------
1. Editor's Message
--------------------------------------------
Michele and I were very impressed with Raymond Crowe's one
man Unusualist Show in Auckland and it was great to see
the audience scattered with children really drawn in to
his many sides of creative magic. Peter Samelson and his
partner Karen St Pierre spent the week with us busy with
a lecture and a private show, and meeting up Ray Crowe in
Hamilton. (See article 11) They now join Crystal Cruise
ship 'Serenity' in Auckland for a busy voyage to perform
magic and holiday as Karen says they are living the
dream!

For
all those who would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine
in a HTML format go to: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2015-Jan-to-Dec-2015/1173-Feb22-2015.html

Remember
if you have any magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com

Nick
Lewin is one of those working magicians who has "been
around the block" more than a couple times. All of
you who read this fine New Zealand e-zine are familiar with
Nick's continuing contributions with his "Remarkable
Magicians" series that appears weekly. He is also a
contributing editor to VANISH magazine.

But
there are perhaps many other sides to Nick you may not know
such as that he was the first, afternoon magic show in Las
Vegas for many years, pre-dating Mac King. In fact, Mac
took Nick's place as he returned to the high seas. Over
his many years (and I say "many" because he just
passed another one recently with a birthday last week -
Happy Birthday, buddy) he has befriended many great magicians
including Maurice Fogel, Billy McComb, Ken Brooke and others.

On
this week's podcast, Nick tells us story after story of
his "storied" life which I know you will find
fascinating plus I think you might even learn a thing or
two along the way. You can read the blog, see some photos,
hear the podcast, or download the MP3 file at: http://themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/nick-lewin
Of course, and as usual, you can always download the podcast
through the iTunes store.

And
if you have two minutes to spare, please watch the new video
at http://patreon.com/themagicword and the appeal to help
fund The Magic Word. Your donations go to help pay for ongoing
domain charges, software, travel, microphones and other
expenses related to producing these podcasts. If you enjoy
The Magic Word and get anything out of them at all, your
support will be greatly appreciated. And you will also appear
on the website as a "Friend of The Magic Word".

Gene
Anderson will attend FISM in Rimini
Gene grew up on a farm in northern Minnesota. Other than
seeing three school show magicians while a youth, he met
no other magicians until he was in college. As a result
the magic he developed was different and novel. With no
mentoring, and no local magic stores, Gene found books in
the library and developed his own unique repertoire of magic.
Because of this, he can precede or follow anybody on a show.
No one else performs the same material.

Performance
skills are as important for a magician as mastering the
tricks, and young Anderson spent time performing for his
extended family. His father was one of 17 children, and
Gene had 63 first cousins. Every Sunday was visit-relatives
day and Gene started performing magic at these family get-togethers.
He attended and competed at his very first magic convention
while in graduate school at the University of Texas and
won the originality trophy for his newspaper act. Later
he developed the Gene Anderson Torn and Restored Newspaper.
It's performed by more magicians than any other newspaper
effect in the world.
Anderson has been awarded seven first-prize trophies in
magic competitions for stage, comedy, close-up and originality,
and he was the co- Guest of Honor, with Dan Garrett, at
the 4F convention in 2005.

Gene
is almost always at Abbott's Get Together, and at FISM.
He simply loves magic and his friends in the magic community.
Gene has performed at almost every major magic convention
in America and many in Europe. His "Newspaper Magic"
book is now in its twelfth printing, and he's currently
writing what he calls his "legacy" book. He has
performed magic professionally in 21 countries on six continents.
He coined the term "part-time professional" to
describe a person who performs magic on a professional level
but has a different full-time occupation.

Gene
is looking forward to his tenth FISM convention where he'll
spend time with friends and of course become immersed in
some of the best magic in the world. Don't forget to say
'hello' to Gene in Rimini.

--------------------------------------------
4. Register For Jacksonville Now And Save Money!
--------------------------------------------
Message from Bill Well (US)

Registration
rates increase on March 1, so get your registration now
in order to avoid higher fees next month. The Jacksonville
I.B.M. Convention will be exciting with exclusive events,
top talent and excellent facilities. In addition to I.B.M.
exclusive events such as the Big Three - close up - lecture
- one man show; the Six Pack Sessions -where experts give
specialized lectures on single topics; the Gold Medal and
Gold Cups competitions for the coveted awards of excellence
and over $14,500 in cash prizes; and the Internationally
acclaimed Lance Burton Teen Seminar for magicians from 13
to 19 on July 13 -15 and free to any teen registered for
the convention. The seminar will be facilitated by McBride
Magic and Mystery School faculty, Eugene Burger and Larry
Haas, and assisted by I.B.M. luminaries Shawn Farquhar and
Oscar Munoz.

Stan
Allen will be presenting a special follow up session to
the Summit Gathering presented in Las Vegas last year. This
"Summit-Up" will offer advice and ideas for improving
your Ring meetings and should be attended by all TVPs and
Ring Representatives.
There will be nine magic lectures, spouse events, welcome
and farewell parties, the Merlin Breakfast and the Grande
Banquet & Show. Finally, there will be three evening
stage shows featuring world class magic and novelty entertainers
in the beautiful Florida Theatre which is only two blocks
from the Hyatt Riverside Hotel.

Join
us in a very, very special event honoring Fantasio with
a well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award.

Go
to www.magician.org and click on the Convention Banner for
additional information and registration for what will be
the best U.S.A. convention this summer!! Do it now and save
money before the rates increase!

The
Society of American Magicians is seeking to hire talented,
young magicians ages 7 through 17 for the 2015 S.A.M. National
Convention. In Philadelphia.. Membership in the S.A.M. or
S.Y.M. is not mandatory.

The
Society will hire seven young magicians to appear in the
"Stars of Tomorrow" stage show and six young magicians
to perform as "Close-up Stars of Tomorrow."

Those
selected will receive a stipend, full convention registrations
for the act plus one guardian, and a one year free membership
in the Society of Young Magicians (S.Y.M.).
Deadline for submission is April 1, 2015. Further information
and applications for the "Stars of Tomorrow" are
available on the S.A.M. website, http://magicsam.com or
by emailing: StarsofTomorrowSAM@gmail.com

The
Society of American Magicians has also named a NEW team
of producers for the "Stars of Tomorrow" shows.
This new team promise many exciting surprises! Our new team
includes Kayla Drescher and David Oliver, Stage Producers
and Arlen Solomon, Close-Up Producer.

I
have been doing my prep work for an upcoming story about
Steve Spill for Vanish Magazine and just last night finished
reading his new book "I tell lies for money."
I don't want to pre-empt my own story, which is going to
be presented in a Playboy style 20 questions format, but
I do want to write a Magic New Zealand column to recommend
this fabulous book to all our readers.

I
first met Spill about 40 years ago when I arrived as a young
magician in Los Angeles, and have been a fan of his work
ever since. Steve and I haven't really got to spend a whole
bunch of time hanging out together as we are both fairly
fanatically hard working and prolific performers. We are
usually busy doing what we do. However I have always been
interested and kept a close eye on what he is doing because
it is usually of enormous interest and always totally unique.

I
was a close friend of Steve's dad Sandy at the Magic Castle,
who proudly kept me up to date on his son's slightly crazed
antics as he cut a swath across the magic scene. The first
time I had actually met Steve was when we were both performing
our auditions together to become Castle performers. I was
excited because I had just bought a copy of Spill's first
book, "My hands can be your hands." I still own
it--- it is probably worth some serious bucks these days!

Steve's
most recent book is due for official release in May and
you can check out the details and order a copy from Amazon
by clicking on http://www.amazon.com/Lie-Money-Outrageous.../dp/1632204924
I can safely guarantee that you will not be disappointed
with it if you are a fan of magical history. Steve has mixed
with and learned from the greats over the years and shares
some marvelous stories about his friends and mentors such
as Dai Vernon, Charlie Miller, Bob Sheets and Penn &
Teller.

As
you turn the pages of the book you will travel along the
amazing timeline that Steve has walked like a tightrope,
stretched between his prodigious skills as a magician and
his flamboyantly eccentric gifts as a showman. From his
early residency with Bob Sheets at the Jolly Jester in uber-hip
Aspen, right though to his 17 plus years owning and (still)
operating "Magicopolis" in Santa Monica. It has
been a fascinating journey. I am pretty darn sure that this
is just going to be volume one of his autobiography, and
feel confident that Spill will be zigzagging towards even
bigger and more eccentric goals in years to come. He is
that kind of guy.

Reading
the book you will be able to explore Steve's signature tricks
and singular approach to creating magic that stands out
from everyone else in the field. While there are no tricks
explained or taught in its pages--- it would take a mighty
un-resourceful magician not to learn a great deal from this
book. However, don't look at it this way--- just settle
back and enjoy the stories and anecdotes that are scattered
throughout the 30 chapters that comprise the book. It is
a fine and funny read.

As
many of you know I feel very strongly that for all the magic
books that feature tricks and moves, there are not nearly
enough that help document the day-to-day events and characters
that make our industry such a unique one. It was my goal
when I started to write this column nearly eight years ago
to help to rectify that situation. I am delighted to recommend
this book to all our readers and heartily suggest you buy
or download a copy at your soonest opportunity. It achieves
this end superbly.

I
say this in spite of the fact that Steve's book dedicates
an entire chapter to the entirely amazing "Dr. Qs Hypnotic
Act." This routine is one of the greatest secrets ever
to have been available and almost universally ignored by
magicians over the years. I've used a variation of it for
years and I have frankly been delighted that it has never
been performed much by the magic fraternity at large. Well
I guess the cat may well be out of the bag now...

Once
again you can access "I lie for money" via the
Amazon site at http://www.amazon.com/Lie-Money-Outrageous.../dp/1632204924
You can also discover the details of Steve's cult magic
club "Magicopolis" by visiting it's website at
http://www.magicopolis.com

You
can visit my online store at www.lewinenterprises.com
You can subscribe to my blog at www.remarkablemagic.com
You can also sign up for our special mailer that offers
occasional sales items and discounts by sending a note to
lewinenterprises@gmail.com

I
find it important that in order to be able to offer the
best possible solutions to any client, you must really understand
them, their wants and their needs. To do this one must research
the market and begin to understand some of the history behind
the market you are getting into. So let us delve a bit into
the history of Scouting and the Blue and Gold dinner.

The
Boy Scouts of America website says this about the origins
of scouting: "Scouting's history goes back to the turn
of the 20th century to a British Army officer, Robert Stephenson
Smyth Baden-Powell. While stationed in India, he discovered
that his men did not know basic first aid or the elementary
means of survival in the outdoors. Baden-Powell realized
he needed to teach his men many frontier skills, so he wrote
a small handbook called Aids to Scouting, which emphasized
resourcefulness, adaptability, and the qualities of leadership
that frontier conditions demanded.

After
returning from the Boer War, where he became famous by protecting
the small town of Mafeking for 217 days, Baden-Powell was
amazed to find that his little handbook had caught the interest
of English boys. They were using it to play the game of
scouting.

Baden-Powell
had the vision to see some new possibilities, and he decided
to test his ideas to boys. In August 1907, he gathered about
20 boys and took them to Brownsea Island in a sheltered
bay off England's southern coast.

They
set up a makeshift camp that would be their home for the
next 12 days. The boys had a great time! They divided into
patrols and played games, went on hikes, and learned stalking
and pioneering. They learned to cook outdoors without utensils.
Scouting began on that island and would sweep the globe
in a few years.

The
next year, Baden-Powell published his book Scouting for
Boys, and Scouting continued to grow. That same year, more
than 10,000 Boy Scouts attended a rally held at the Crystal
Palace; a mere two years later, membership in Boy Scouts
had tripled."

Over
the years, Scouting had developed into two main areas; Cub
Scouting and Boy Scouting. For Blue and Gold dinners, we
will concentrate on Cub Scouting.

Cub
Scouting is a year-round family program designed for boys
who are about 7-10 years old on average. Parents, leaders
and organizations work together to achieve the purposes
of Cub Scouting.

Cub
scouting means "doing." Everything in Cub Scouting
is designed to have the boys doing things. Activities are
used to achieve the aims of scouting, citizenship training,
character development, and personal fitness. Many of the
activities happen right in the den and pack. The most important
are the weekly den meetings and the monthly pack meetings.

It
is at the pack meetings where the Blue and Gold banquet
is held each year. I researched some on the origins of the
Blue and Gold banquet and found the following information
very helpful.

"In
1933 "Cub Leaders' Round Table" suggested parent
/ cub dinners. Soon thereafter, Pack 1 of Michigan City
started a tradition of pot-lucks where the dads were to
bring utensils made of wood; whittled by the Cub with his
dad. In the 1930s father / son 'bean dinners' and 'Cub family
dinners' began to become commonplace. Finally, in 1943 the
name "Blue and Gold Banquet" first appeared in
BSA literature, and became synonymous with "celebrating
the birthday of Scouting."

Today,
the Blue and Gold banquet is one of the highlights of the
program year. It brings together your pack's families for
a dinner and an evening of fun. The meal is important, but
even more important is he warm, congenial atmosphere created
as families enjoy each other's company."

So
we can clearly see that everything during the course of
the scouts year leads up to the blue and gold banquet. This
is the culmination of the year's activities and a time where
they celebrate as a group the accomplishments of the scouts.

Blue
and gold banquets usually happen in the months of February
and March of every year. This is to coincide with the birthday
of the founder of scouting. What is wonderful is realizing
that there are packs all over the place. Each pack has a
blue and gold dinner and each of them would love YOU being
the solution to their entertainment need. This means a huge
potential for you to be able to land multiple shows during
a typically slower time of the year.

It
is also a great opportunity for the family entertainer to
land a few shows, make some money and have a great time
in the processes.

***
I hope this information has given you an idea of what can
be done with working the Festival market. If you would like
additional and detailed information on this topic, please
see my book/eBook at: http://www.kpmagicproducts.com/Festival_Magic.html

As
always, I encourage you the readers to let me know your
thoughts. So if you have any thoughts on my articles or
suggestions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me directly
at magic4u02@aol.com. I would love to hear from you.

AD:
I know exactly what you mean. There is, language aside,
not much difference between a group of Israelis sitting
around a fire, singing and drumming and many Native American
Peoples (Tribes) doing much the same. It goes beyond mere
worship; it is a Magical Prayer session. Now I happen to
know that you have done all that and more. You are familiar
with many cultures and have absorbed from them making you
who are today. So, rather than ask you to talk about that
I approached some mutual friends who are excellent performers
in their own right and who know you better than most; I
asked them to send me a few words about you:

I
love this woman with all of my heart!!!

I
first met Mrs. Abigail "Spinner" McBride in the
early 90's, during the second year of Jeff McBride's Mystery
School, which was held at an ashram in NY. This was long
before she and Jeff knew they would fall in love and be
married, and at the time were just amazing friends. Back
then Abigail was only known as Spinner, [of] which she still
is to me, and to many others.

This
amazing woman has been so inspirational in my life in so
many ways. It was Spinner who first put a djembe in my hands
all those years ago, and it was love at first beat! After
Mystery School, a few of us were with Jeff at his parents'
property near a lake. We sat around a fire for hours drumming,
and singing the chants that she wrote. I have been a percussionist
ever since, and have spent many nights around the sacred
fire with this magical woman drumming, singing and dancing
until sunrise. As her name suggests, Spinner has woven an
inspirational web of creativity within my life that has
spun out into our community of family in so many ways. -
Samina Ocean Spirit loves beauty.

Many
years ago Spinner was coming over to my house for a jam
session. I opened my door to check for her and was stopped
in my tracks. In the distance I could see a mythic figure
approaching. Of course it turned out to be her! After arriving
I asked her why she was motivated to look so wonderful just
to play music at a friend's house. After a brief pause she
replied, "Spirit loves beauty."

I
feel that she mindfully cultivates beauty within and without,
as well as in the people and environment around her. She
diligently grows her arts including songwriting, singing,
dancing, massage and magic. When problem solving, her compassion
and intelligence make her a master of discovering win-win
solutions. This clever and compassionate way of finding
solutions extends into the foods she eats and how she treats
the environment. She has an incredibly high level of integrity.
Her word is gold.

If
she has agreed to something there is absolutely no question
that it will be accomplished! She encourages and strives
to help others achieve their highest vision. She is truly
a unique and exceptional woman. I feel incredibly blessed
that our paths crossed so many years ago and that she is
an important part of my life in Las Vegas today! - Deborah
Nervig-Levin

AD:
I was tempted (in a moment you will see why) to tidy this
grammatically and linguistically. However, I felt the charm,
the warmth and affection would be lost. Here it is exactly
as I received it:

Hello
Anthony,
I do not speak good English, I speak Spanish. But I made
a paragraph in English that I hope you can understand. I'm
friend of Abbi, I love her, and she and Jeff are very special
to me.
Thank you!

Circe
------------------------
I met Abbi when I decided to come to Las Vegas to live in
2007. I have worked with Abbi during 7 years in Wonderground
of Jeff McBride. I think Abbi is an attraction for everyone
when she dances, when she talks, when she says her opinion
about a topic, why? Because Abbi is an intelligent woman,
she is a talented and interesting woman that everyone would
like to know. Every little thing she does is magic; I feel
that Abbi is a very positive person, she has very good energy,
Abbi is a good human being and nice friend; she is happy
and creative woman.

Abbi
as an artist is versatile because she is actress, dancer,
musician, songwriter, designer, she is the right hand of
the great magician and artist Jeff McBride, so Abbi is magician
also. Jeff McBride is a great man and behind every great
man is a great woman, in this case the name of the great
woman is Abbi McBride. - Circe Martinez

AD:
I think that pretty much sums you up neatly. Further words
from me would be superfluous. Except to add that it has
been a true delight and joyous experience conversing with
you. I look forward to many more meet-ups with you. Thank
you sincerely for spending time with me and sharing so generously
of yourself. Thank you Abbi. Many Blessings.

AM:
You are very welcome Tony. I have enjoyed our conversation
too and look forward to seeing you in Vegas again soon.
As Jeff has told you, "your tribe awaits." Many
Blessings to you too.

"Monday Night Magic," New York's longest-running
Off-Broadway magic show, is produced by Michael Chaut, Todd
Robbins, Peter Samelson, and Jamy Ian Swiss. (Frank Brents,
now deceased, was part of the original producing team).

In
1997, New York City was, for the first time in more than
20 years, without a venue featuring live magic. Given New
York's longstanding and significant magical history - it
had once been the home of Dai Vernon, the most influential
sleight-of-hand artist of the 20th century - Michael Chaut
decided that it was time to do something to remedy that
situation. He began by assembling a team of expert counselors
to assist him in his mission, who collectively totaled over
a century's worth of performing experience between them.

Chaut
began by approaching the artistically innovative and influential
magician Peter Samelson, who had been a regular performer
at the Magic Towne House in the 1970s. Samelson in turn
referred Michael to magician's magician and author Jamy
Ian Swiss, who had been a regular at a later NYC magic venue,
Mostly Magic. Swiss brought in Todd Robbins, the Coney Island
Wonder Worker, with whom Swiss had worked at Mostly Magic.
Chaut then invited on board his longtime mentor, Frank Brents,
a world-class veteran with 40 years of performing experience,
who had toured the world multiple times and performed for
royalty and presidents. And for a time, Magic Towne House
regular, magician and film actor Peter Maloney, also served
as an early advisor.

The
team set to work and after a handful of early experiments,
"Monday Night Magic" debuted in Greenwich Village.
The weekly show began at The Sullivan Street Playhouse,
the home of America's longest-running musical, "The
Fantasticks." Although it was difficult at first to
find acts, and it took time to work the kinks out of the
format, eventually the show began to take consistent shape,
and was already established as New York's home for magic
before its first relocation, after more than four years
at Sullivan Street.

In
the aftermath of September 11th, five Broadway shows closed
within a week, and the entire theatre industry was economically
devastated for more than a year to come. During this period,
"Monday Night Magic" moved uptown to smaller quarters
at the McGinn-Cazale Theatre on the Upper West Side, surviving
the downturn.

In
May 2003, Monday Night Magic returned to its downtown haunts
with a move to the larger Soho Playhouse, not far from the
original Sullivan Street location. After a stay of several
years in the 160-seat St. Clement's Theatre on West 46th
Street, just up the street from Manhattan's Restaurant Row,
the show finally reached its current home at the Bleecker
Street Theatre, located near our downtown roots in the trendy
East Village.

Since
its inception, "Monday Night Magic" has provided
a first-class setting for the presentation and enjoyment
of magic that eschews the use of giant props, scantily clad
assistants, wild animals, and Las Vegas frills. Rather,
the show features professional entertainers who perform
skillful magic accompanied by distinctive personalities.
While families are welcome, "Monday Night Magic"
is not a children's show - it's an evening of sophisticated
performance for adult audiences. Each week the theatre is
filled with a mix of both newcomers and repeat customers,
New York City locals and international tourists, all seeking
- and finding! - A unique evening of unusual and original
performance.

Every
show features four performers on stage featuring diverse
performing styles and types of magic; during the extended
intermission, at least two magicians in various locations
throughout the theatre presenting intimate close-up magic.
The roster is a veritable Who's Who of Magic, as witnessed
by the biographies found elsewhere on the Monday Night Magic
website. By the same token, "Monday Night Magic"
has provided unique opportunities for young performers to
earn their stripes and get a chance to be seen by the public.
The producers are proud of the many young performers who
made some of their earliest appearances at Monday Night
Magic, and are now not only regular performers at the weekly
show, but are operating as successful full-time professionals
in New York City and across the country.

By
presenting a carefully assembled program of select performers
in ideal theatrical circumstances, the underlying message
communicated to every patron is that magic is a unique and
legitimate art form - as powerful as a medium of original
artistic expression as it is effective as commercial entertainment.
The show makes new magic fans each and every week, and also
serves longstanding fans and welcomes visiting magicians
from around the world. Monday Night Magic is truly New York
City's home for magic.

And
so it is magic but it's no miracle that "Monday Night
Magic" has thrived, and, now in its 18th year, has
returned to the Greenwich Village and can be found at the
Players Theatre, located at 115 Macdougal St., between West
3rd St. and Bleecker.

With
more than 700 performances under its award-winning belt,
the show has been featured in virtually every major press
and media outlet in New York, was singled out as "New
York's Best Magical Venue" by "TimeOut NY"
magazine, awarded a "Best of Manhattan" by the
"New York Press," and its performers have been
featured in countless television appearances, including
on national programs like "Good Morning America"
and repeat appearances on "The Today Show." No
wonder that the producers, via the show's parent firm, Magical
Nights Inc., provide magic and more for top corporate and
private events, with a client list that starts with the
Fortune-100 and ends with hundreds of satisfied clients
from coast to coast and beyond.

So
what are you waiting for? Come and spend the most magical
night New York City has to offer at "Monday Night Magic."
We've got a seat with your name on it - prepare to be amazed.
It's a night of magic you will never forget!

Due
to a mix up in tickets I missed Raymond Crowe's show in
Auckland but was determined to catch it somewhere. It is
all magic this week as apart from Raymond, Peter Samelson
from New York, a wonderful professional magician and old
friend is in town with his partner, Karen St. Pierre. They
also wanted to see Raymond's show so courtesy of Alan Watson
we all took off for Hamilton. Despite the fact I was in
severe pain the whole time from my sciatica I was determined
and it was wonderful as the 90 minute drive down and back
gave me quality time with Peter and Karen to catch up. The
last time we had actually seen each other was when I was
performing in New York many years ago.

We
all caught up with Raymond a couple of hours before show
time and then retired to have dinner before show time while
Raymond did his pre-show set up. I had seen Raymond work
many times before but it was always snippets.....never his
full one-man show. Having seen his complete show last night
I felt compelled to write a review in the hope that all
magicians will read it.

RAYMOND
CROW - UNUSUALIST.
I pondered for some time trying to find the three words
that most accurately conveyed the true sense of this brilliant
performer.

CHARM....ORIGINALITY...FINESSE.

Professional performers tend to look at other professionals
with a very critical eye but are also the first to give
accolades when performances shine. Shine indeed, does this
performer from his unique opening from hand shadows until
his closing two hours later (with a 15 minute interval).
There are so many gems packed into this show it is impossible
to cover them all in detail so from a magician's perspective
let's cover the important points.

Valuable lessons we can all learn from watching Raymond.
First, his handling of audience participants. There is only
one word here - Perfect - There is considerable audience
participation in the show and in every instance the participants
were handled with finesse and dignity. There was absolutely
no fear or apprehension about getting involved by anyone
requested as Raymond had shown at the outset that he valued
and respected participation. One actually WANTED to be asked
to volunteer and his handling of a little eight year old
girl was pure charm that would have won over the most hardened
of audiences.

Raymond
is a dedicated performer who demands perfection and so the
show contains so much variety. The pacing is such that you
really wonder where that two hours went. I sat enthralled
forgetting my pain completely as Raymond took the audience
on various journeys by weaving little playlets around each
effect. He wasn't "doing tricks" he was recalling
incidents from his childhood around his Aerial Fishing routine,
or he was paying tribute to past masters for contributions
they had made to our art by performing a classic, there
are so many gems in the show it is hard to pick a favourite,
but the one thing that does stand out is that every single
thing he performs has an original freshness about it.

During
my time in the business I have seen Fred Kaps and Finn Jonn
do their versions of the "Salt Pour" and believed
I had seen the epitome. You haven't seen a "Salt Pour"
until you have seen Raymond's. The best I have witnessed.
His Butterfly routine which dates back to the 19th century
is as fresh, charming and effective today, in his hands,
as it was then and I loved his inclusion of a modern, overworked,
trick at the end of it that shows precisely how something
like that should be used. NOT as a trick on its own. Bravo
!

His
dancing jacket is pure theatre and an absolute joy to behold.

This review may start to sound like a mutual admiration
society with not a negative. From Raymond's point of view
and performance there is not a negative but there is a flaw
with the production which is out of Raymond's hands. I have
discussed it privately with him and he concurs completely
and I feel it unfair to bring it up here.

To all New Zealand magicians I have only one thing to say.
If he is coming to your town, DON'T MISS HIM. If you have
other commitments that night, cancel them, Raymond may not
be through here again in the near future and from him we
can all learn so much. The very fact that he can hold a
full theatre of people totally spellbound for two hours
speaks volumes.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALAN WATSON FOR YOUR COURTESIES LAST
NIGHT. Well Raymond Crowe last night and now Peter Samelson
tonight. What a week!
--------------------------------------------
12. The March Issue of Genii Is Now Available
--------------------------------------------
Message by Richard Kaufman - Editor Genii Magazine

On
our cover is one of the world's greatest living film makers,
Woody Allen, in a marvelous interview and article written
by John Lovick. This is not a gratuitous exercise just to
get a famous face on our cover-Woody Allen was, and is a
cardman. He loves magic and always has since he was bitten
by the same bug as all of us as a young teen.

It's
hard to imagine someone invoking Maynard G. Krebs, Aristophanes,
Cyrano de Bergerac, Neil Gaiman, Shakespeare, Homer (not
Simpson), Disneyland, Nebraska, and Quantum Mechanics in
a column about magic and it's not Mr. Racherbaumer!
The perpetrator is Jonathan Pendragon, and you'll have to
read this month's "Panmagium" to sort it all out.

David
Kaye, in "The Expert at the Kids' Table," talks
about the end of childhood and the demise of the Tooth Fairy
and Santa. A bit of innocence lost and how a kids'
show magician should handle it.

Roberto
Giobbi is in love with "gestalt." It's not something
to be spread on rye bread, you know. Or even something to
be taken lightly.

Gestalt
(in our field) is the nexus where all the various bits and
bobs of which magic consist come together and whirl into
some greater whole in "The Genii Session."

In
"Lost Horizons" Max Maven, with the help of the
sinister specter of a deceased black cat, raises a bit of
a ruckus séance style.

This
month Jon Racherbaumer continues his cultural explorations
through literature, and David Oliver, John Lovick, and Dustin
Stinett write our reviews of "stuff" in all forms.

We
have audio columns from Max Maven (about his recent trip
to the site of this summer's FISM in Italy) and Jon Racherbaumer
(who ponders never-to-be-answered questions about Erdnase).
There is a funny 18 minute video of my trip around the dealer's
room at the Columbus Magi-Fest; video in Magicana, and more
surprises.

Subscribe
at www.geniimagazine.com and receive your digital issue
for free when you subscribe to our paper edition.

I
still have happy memories of Peter Samelson's last visit
to New Zealand 21 years ago, and was thrilled when Richard
and Margaret Webster invited me to an evening to see him
perform. He entranced the audience with his delightful stories,
and charming magic. I was particularly taken with his presentation
of the Gypsy Thread with its theme of lost love. I think
everyone in the audience related to it.

Peter
chose his helpers well, and the couple who helped him in
a routine where Peter "lost" their wedding ring
and found it again were a delight. Peter finished with his
famous Snowstorm in China routine and received a well-deserved
standing ovation. Please come back soon, Peter! Thank you
very much Richard and Margaret for your hospitality. You
put on yet another unforgettable evening.

We've
recently deliberately kept quiet about the Innovention Convention
taking place in Liverpool from 14th - 16th July. As we limited
the number of attendees to just 100 we decided to let word
of mouth and personal recommendation from anyone who came
to our two previous Innovention Conventions spread the word
for us.

In
case you haven't already heard, the line-up of talent is
outstanding and features performers that you won't see at
any other magic convention this year, either at FISM, Magic
Live, IBM, or Genii. Every one of the performers at the
Innovention is a top professional with literally thousands
of major shows to their names.

The
undoubted headliner from Las Vegas is Jeff Hobson, Star
of the hugely successful Illusionists Show which just played
six amazing weeks on Broadway. Jeff has established himself
as one of the greatest comedy magicians in the entertainment
world and at the Innovention he will not only be performing
his hilarious stage act but will also be lecturing on what
it takes to become a successful entertainer. Jeff will talk
about how to add comedy into your act including choosing
the right material and how to deliver it. Jeff will also
cover all the secrets of becoming an Emcee, and how it can
be a very lucrative additional skill to master. This alone
will be worth more than the price of admission.

Michael
Goudeau is another fantastic performer travelling over from
Las Vegas and will be making his British Magic Convention
debut. Michael was the Guest Star and only other act in
the superb Lance Burton Show at both the Hacienda and Monte
Carlo Hotel & Casinos for nearly 20 years. Michael performed
well over 5000 shows with Lance. Not only that, Michael
is a multi Emmy nominated comedy writer and wrote much of
the material in Penn & Teller's 'Bullshit' TV Shows.
Michael will perform his stage act which has served him
so well for many years, and he will talk about his experiences
of working for so long with Lance, and will present a specific
session on how to write your own comedy material.

Scott
Alexander is a very busy working pro from USA and spends
most of his time either performing on cruise ships or at
corporate events. Scott is well known in the magic world
for creating solid, commercial routines and together with
Bob Kohler he has marketed several effects, many of which
are regularly used by pros around the world. Scott's stage
act is a lesson on how to develop standard effects and turn
them into highly commercial and entertaining routines. In
his lecture he will cover the increasingly popular market
of cruise ship magic, and what is required to do well in
that very specialised market. Scott has also never before
appeared in UK, and so he too will be making his British
Convention debut.

Next
week I will tell you about some of the other outstanding
performers who will be appearing in Liverpool including
Bob Kohler, Graham P. Jolley, and John Fealey, but for now
I wanted to finish by emphasising why the Innovention Convention
is so different to any other magic convention. At the Innovention
everyone will have a great seat for every session or show
and an unrivalled opportunity to access and spend time with
some of the very best and most successful magic and variety
performers in the world today. You'll also be able to find
out exactly what it takes to become a top professional performer
and how you can use that information to improve your own
shows and command higher fees.

The
Innovention Headquarters Hotel is the fabulous Beatles themed
'Hard Day's Night' Hotel located right in the heart of Liverpool
City Centre, and it is the ideal venue for this intimate
and special event. Unlike FISM or Magic Live where you are
just one of thousands of magicians, at the Innovention you
genuinely will be treated like a VIP. Registration for the
Innovention costs £175. We do still have some places
available but we expect to fill them up soon, so if you
are considering being in Liverpool with us for what promises
to be an exciting and unique few days of magic and you don't
want to miss out then you should email us as soon as possible
at info@Innoventionliverpool.com for full details on how
to register. Please remember that when registrations reach
100, we will not accept any more. This is one Convention
you really do not want to miss.

Just
heard from Liz, John's wife. John Jennings passed away at
about 2:20 pm today (Monday) with a deck of cards in his
hands. His wife and son were at his bedside at the time.
Funeral and other arrangements are in the planning stage
with no date/time set yet.

John
Jennings was a great guy and an excellent S.A.M. Deputy
for Virginia.
John loved magic and was proud to represent S.A.M. He was
also a member of IBM. We'll all miss him.

John
suffered for the last few years with cancer. A few weeks
ago, he was diagnosed with cancer in his spinal fluids where
it spread into his brain.

John
was a fire investigator. To help with family finances, the
local firefighters and magicians established a fund. Please
go to www.gofundme.com/johnjennings and help with a contribution.
Share this website with others.

Have
you heard about the Midwest's fastest growing magic convention?
This year we celebrate our fifth year of AbraCORNdabra ~
Iowa's largest Magic Convention! Want to see a short 2-min
video clip about AbraCORNdabra?

Check
it out here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J829rXFFo_w
Located in the capitol city of Iowa, Des Moines. Held at
the spacious Airport Holiday Inn (*Directly across the street
from the Des Moines International Airport!), with 24/7 Free
shuttle service. The Magical dates are May 15 - 17, 2015
Easy to remember date - 5/15/15

We
have an outstanding cast of National & International
stars coming in for this amazing weekend of magic, including
an all-female close-up show with:
* The uniquely unusual magic of Randi Rain (Texas)
* A regular at the famed Magic Castle in Hollywood, the
Bizarre magic of Suzanne The Magician (Minnesota)
* Houston, Texas' famed Magic Island's only Female Close-up
artist & America's most $ucce$$ful female Birthday Party
Magician, Trixie Bond (Texas)
* And rounding out this all-star Female Cast, direct from
her appearances at the Magic Castle close-up parlor, Lupe
Nielsen (Nevada).
Add to this mix:
* The Illusionary Magic of Tops Magic Magazine writer, David
Seebach (Wisconsin)
* America's busiest Corporate & College Market Mentalist,
Christopher Carter (Illinios)
* Celebrity Comedy Magician Murray Sawchuck (Nevada), as
seen on Television's hit shows ~ Pawn Stars, Reno 911, America's
Got Talent, Celebracadabra, Last Comic Standing, Celebrity
Blind Date, War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave, and Ring
of Darkness. Currently appearing daily in his own show at
Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.
* Our mystery magician is a "name" in Magicdom,
known for his amazing career that spans the Globe.

Who
is it?
Come to Abracorndabra and find out! The "Mystery Magician"
for 2015 will be revealed at the convention!
* The "Cherry on the top" of this "Who's
Who" of magic, all assembled under one resort hotel
weekend roof, is the clown prince of magic himself, the
incredible Tom Mullica (Nevada).
Tom will not only lecture, He will also perform his brand-new
close-up show, as was recently unveiled at the Magic Castle's
Founders Day Celebration in Hollywood. Tom will also be
our master of ceremonies for the public Gala Show which
also features former Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey
Circus Clowns, appearing courtesy of the Clown CORNvention.
The Clown CORNvention is a separate convention for Clowns
that is held in the same building as AbraCORNdabra, sharing
the "Midway of Deals" Dealers room (Filled with
Unique Dealers - no two tables are alike!)
Tom will be bringing to life, for one of the last times
in his career, his flawless impersonations of Mr. Red Skelton
during the Gala Show. This is something you won't want to
miss!

Unlike
most conventions, this is a very family-friendly weekend
of magic, with special attention given to our younger magi.
In fact, we feature "The Kernels Young Magicians Showcase
Show" - magicians aged 21 and younger are given FREE
registration in trade for a 5-min performance in the Showcase
Show! *(If this interests you - contact Steve Daly today!
- See the Website)

Over
50 and want to be in the world's first & only Magic
Contest for Senior Magicians Only? Then sign up to be in
The Magimasters 2015 Seniors Magic Tournament! Winner takes
home the coveted Magimaster's Jacket, Hat, & Trophy!

There
is so much more crammed into this three-day weekend of Midwestern
Magical Fun! Flea Market (it gets bigger and bigger every
year!), a huge dealers room, silent auction, raffles, free
gifts, snacks, Shows, Parties, and introducing this year
- a first at any Magic Convention anywhere...
"The Show & Tell Sideshow" ~ Eight performers
(not listed above) presenting a baffling trick in their
own sideshow booth, then teaching you the secret!

We
are also giving a nod to the late, great Dia Vernon with
our special guest fine artist - Kathryn Flocken (Florida).
Kathryn is Walt Disney World's premier Paper Silhoutte Artist!
She can cut out a paper Silhoutte of you in 2-minutes or
less! Kathryn has agreed to TEACH this amazing art form
that "the professor" so enjoyed doing while seated
at his loveseat in the Magic Castle. Come learn a cool skill
that is quickly becoming a "lost art"....

Are you a street performer or busker - ever wondered how
to become a successful street performer or busker? Then
Grndl's Bskng Schl is for you! This is an event that is
not part of AbraCORNdabra's registration - rather a separate
event happening the day before the magic convention begins!
This 10-hour school (2 pm to 10 pm Thursday May 14th &
9:30 am to 11:30 am Friday May 15th) is an additional cost
of $150 (IF, you are not attending AbraCORNdabra Magic Convention.
Special offer ~ If you register for AbraCORNdabra - you
can attend this fantastic "Busking School" for
just $50! More info is on the AbraCORNdabra Website - check
it out!

Please
Note: AbraCORNdabra Registration is limited to just 200
attendees.
Sure, we could easily allow more to come, but we truly believe
in allowing everyone who attends AbraCORNdabra a spacious,
fun time, we don't "sardine can" you into a hot
banquet room for a long, drawn out lecture... By limiting
registration, we are allowing each person ample time to
spend chatting one-on-one with their favorite magical stars.
Past Magicians AbraCORNdabra has hosted include Jade, Oscar
Munoz, Banachek, Alex Ramon, Johnny & Pam Thompson,
Losander, Tom Bergoon, Ben Ulin, Fielding West, John Carney,
Stan Allen, Michael Goudeau, Wayne Houchin, Allan Ackerman,
and so many others...

"Steve
Daly produces the best conventions making US feel important,
that's why we asked him to do one for clowns! Thank goodness
he did, it is the best Clown Convention I have ever been
to!" - Sweetie Pie, Des Moines

"Thanks
to my years performing in the Kernels Show, I was able to
hone my act to where it is today. And now, I am taking that
act to FISM in Italy!" - Trent James, Chicago

Check
out the AbraCORNdabra website for registration information
and other info.
www.AbraCORNdabra.com

**********
Special Offer For Magic New Zealand Readers **********
Mention Magic New Zealand on your registration form (Hand
write it in at the top of the form) and get a Free Hopper
Pass! This gives you the freedom to go between the AbraCORNdabra
Magic Convention and The Clown CORNvention. Allowing you
to pick and choose which lectures, shows, and events you
would like to see!

Come
visit us in the "Cornfields of Iowa" at Iowa's
largest Magic Convention ~ AbraCORNdabra!

--------------------------------------------
18. The South Tyneside International Magic Festival
--------------------------------------------
Message by Claire Buchan

The
South Tyneside International Magic Festival returns for
its 12th spellbinding year this March, including a three-day
convention for professional magicians

A
number of this year's international performers are available
for interview and I wondered whether you'd be interested
in a phone conversation, or one of your set features, with
any of the artists listed below?

Michael
Finney (USA) - multi award-winning, comedy magician, with
more than 30 years in the business. He performed at the
2004 Inaugural Gala for President George W Bush and is returning
to the Magic Festival's twelfth year this year after performing
there 10 years ago. He also has his own charitable foundation.

John
Archer (UK) - star of children's television show, Help My
Supply Teacher is Still Magic, award-winning magician John
has been assisting with the organisation of this year's
festival and will also be performing

--------------------------------------------
19. New York "Magician Of The Year"
--------------------------------------------
Message by George Schindler (US)

Congratulations
to the Society of American Magicians PA#1 # 2015 "Magician
of the Year" - Jerry Oppenheimer. Jerry has been a
member for more than 44 years and has served the New York
club in many capacities including six years as Editor of
the Spellbinder Newsletter, Secretary and President. He
has been a regular at the Magic Table, and was featured
prominently in the recent feature on the today show. The
formal award presentation will be made in the Spring at
he "Salute to Magic" the date to be announced.

One
lucky person will win back the cost of their registration
fee within the first hour of the Convention!

How
To Enter:
All you have to do is register before October 24th, 2015.
Register before 10th of November, 2014 and get 3 entries
into the draw
Register before 1st of May, 2015 and get 2 entries into
the draw
Register before 24th of October, 2015 and get 1 entry into
the draw
The earlier you register, the more entries you get!

Refer
A Friend For Extra Entries:
If you have registered and refer a friend, you can gain
an extra two entries per person that you refer.

For
every person that writes down your name as the referee,
during registration, you will get an additional 2 entries!

For
conditions and more information, go towww.wellingtonmagic.co.nz/raffle

Registration
is Open!

We
have an "Early-Bird" rate for those who register
before the 1st of May, 2015.
- Seniors: $290
- Juniors, Parents & Partners: $190
Register online at www.wellingtonmagic.co.nz to download
the registration form.

When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order
in folders for each year and are Coded, e.g. 001 Nov06 1999.txt
first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the
date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999)

---------------------------------------------
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New Zealand® E-zine at www.magicnewzealand.com
Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The
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Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson QSMvouch for the accuracy
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